ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT REPORTS FROM THE TIMES, NEWS SERVICES AND THE NATION’S PRESS.

TELEVISION

The Price of Survival: Aiming to cash in even further on the “Survivor” phenomenon, CBS is hiking advertiser sponsorships for the series’ second incarnation to a hefty $14 million--$10 million more than for sponsorships on the original. According to the TV industry Web site Inside.com, the high price tag will buy the same package as for the first “Survivor” sponsors: 30-second ads on each episode, a presence on the “Survivor” Web site and product placement such as the Bud Lights that Kelly drank or the Target towels that arrived in a care package. CBS is said to be seeking a total of eight sponsors, meaning the network would pull in $112 million before “Survivor II: The Australian Outback,” set to premiere in January, even debuts.

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Animated Rantings: UPN is promoting its Sept. 11 premiere of the former ABC series “The Hughleys” through 40 animated Internet shorts produced by series star D.L. Hughley. The three- to four-minute shorts, termed animated “rants,” feature Hughley “sounding off on everything from the upcoming Olympics to sky-rocketing gas prices to a new brand of online excuses.” The shorts can be viewed at https://www.anteye.com, https://www.ifuse.com or https://www.thesource.com.

LEGAL FILE

The Magician’s Tale: Citing a tale of intrigue involving the Russian mafia and a former KGB agent, magician David Copperfield has sued Fireman’s Fund Insurance, claiming the company improperly denied a claim stemming from his ordeal in getting his show equipment back from Russia. According to the lawsuit, papers allowing the magician to shuttle more than $4 million worth of equipment in and out of Russia without paying taxes disappeared after his final Moscow performance in December, with Copperfield later learning they were being held by a company that he believes is linked to the Russian mafia. Without the papers, sealed trucks holding the props could not legally leave the country. The suit said that Copperfield hired an ex-KGB officer to help with the negotiations, and that the company later agreed to return the papers in exchange for payment. Copperfield subsequently filed an insurance claim seeking reimbursement of the $506,343 he spent retrieving the property. However, Fireman’s Fund denied payment, saying the magician’s policy did not cover losses resulting from “seizure or destruction of property by orders of governmental authority.”

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Jury Sides With Harrelson’s Hemp Efforts: A marijuana possession charge filed against actor Woody Harrelson after the actor planted industrial hemp seeds as part of a crusade to legalize the plant as a cash crop for farmers has been dismissed by a Kentucky jury. In what his defense termed an effort to challenge a Kentucky law that makes no distinction between the drug marijuana and hemp, which is used for products such as clothing and paper, Harrelson was arrested after ceremoniously planting four hemp seeds in 1996 in a rural Kentucky locale. The prosecutor had sought up to a year in prison and a $500 fine. But after a one-day trial, the six-person jury deliberated less than 30 minutes before acquitting him. “I think this demonstrates that at least six people disagree with . . . what the law should be,” Harrelson’s attorney said after the verdict.

POP/ROCK

No More Blankets: After a fatal stampede at one of their performances, Pearl Jam is taking steps it hopes will avoid another tragedy. The band is asking fans who attend future concerts to leave blankets at home. “We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but we have witnessed a number of injuries as a result of blankets being used as trampolines at concerts,” said Kelly Curtis, the group’s manager. Small beach towels and ponchos were suggested as alternatives to blankets. The band’s request comes two months after nine fans died in a frenzied crush at a Pearl Jam concert in Denmark. The band is currently on tour in the U.S.

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70 Years of Achievements: The Blues Foundation will give Ray Charles its top honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award, during ceremonies Oct. 2 at the Sunset Strip’s House of Blues. Performers scheduled so far for the event, which will also celebrate 12-time Grammy winner Charles’ 70th birthday, include Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson and Diane Schuur (ticket info: https://www.blues.org). Among other honors that night, Willie Nelson will receive the Blues Hero Award. Past Lifetime Achievement honorees include B.B. King, John Lee Hooker and Etta James.

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This Is Spinal Tap, 2000: With a look back at director Rob Reiner’s mock documentary “This Is Spinal Tap,” VH1 will update the group’s myth with “Where Are They Now?: Spinal Tap,” airing on the cable channel Sept. 6 at 11 p.m., preceded by a 9 p.m. showing of the original 1984 film. “Where Are They Now?” will check in with the fictional band members: guitarist Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest), singer David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean) and bassist Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer), as well as fill-in drummer Mick Fleetwood.

QUICK TAKES

David Letterman celebrates his seventh anniversary on CBS on Wednesday, with guests including New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. The show will mark a total of more than 3,200 late-night broadcasts for Letterman, including 1,466 on CBS. . . . Folk singer-songwriter Pete Seeger (“Where Have All the Flowers Gone?”) has been diagnosed with Lyme disease, his wife Toshi said Monday, adding that it isn’t clear yet how severe a case he has. She said that Seeger, 81, was resting at the couple’s home in Beacon, N.Y. Lyme disease spread to humans through tick bites, can cause headache, fever, stiff joints and fatigue. . . . Sisqo and Christina Aguilera have been added to the performers list for the 17th annual MTV Video Music Awards, airing Sept. 7 from New York’s Radio City Music Hall. Previously announced performers include Britney Spears, Janet Jackson, ‘N Sync, Eminem, Blink-182, DMX, Rage Against the Machine and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. . . . RKO Pictures plans to make feature-length animated versions of six classic films including “Sinbad the Sailor,” “Blackbeard the Pirate” and “The Fourth Musketeer.” The films will be produced and directed by animator Phil Roman. . . . Singer Monica will star in MTV’s third original TV movie, “Love Song,” which is set to premiere in December. . . . The scheduled Sept. 20 Hollywood Bowl concert featuring Rickie Lee Jones, MeShell Ndegeocello and Janice Ian has been canceled, due to a scheduling conflict with one of the artists. Ticket refunds are available at the point of purchase. . . . Actress Katey Sagal and her husband, Jack White, have filed for divorce after six years of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences.